FFX2 Book I: Farplane Shadows
by Knuckles-lm
Summary: It is almost two years since the defeat of Vegnagun and the sending of Shuyin and Lenne. Yuna has continued to enjoy the carefree life of a Sphere Hunter, until dreams of 'him' begin to haunt her. A dark new evil is about to emerge...
1. Default Chapter

FFX-2. Book 1: "Farplane Shadows"

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    Summary:

It is almost two years since the defeat of Vegnagun and the sending of Shuyin and Lenne. Yuna returned to the carefree life of a Sphere Hunter, embracing all that life had to give. However, strange dreams have begun to surface, as a dark new evil threatens to destory the whole of Spira…

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    Chapter I: "Whispered Memories."

Everything was silent. An overwhelming stillness resonated through the soft lush meadow which lay beneath her very feet, broken only by the faint flickering pyre-flies which danced through the sky, phasing in and out of all existence. A sudden unseen breeze swept through with such a tender touch, blowing the loose threads of her clothing, and at her light brown hair. Yuna slowly closed her eyes, this place so familiar to her, a place which was filled with a thousand words and emotions.

Her hands were slowly drawn towards her chest, finally resting over the rapid beating of her heart whilst shimmering tears fell unnoticed down her cheeks. A warm sensation began to form in the depths of her soul, somewhat easing her pain, as she began to feel the familiar presence wrap his arms affectionately around her. She did not want to speak, did not want to break this moment, but a deep understanding gradually grew.

  
"It's you. You were with me the whole time. I kept thinking you might be. Kept hoping … But you know, I'm not worried anymore. You will always have a place ... right here in my heart. We'll always be connected."

She did not turn to face him, knowing that it would break her heart if she did. Footsteps torn between hesitation and confidence, Yuna began to walk away from him, the soft moan of the pyre-flies filling the silent air. Just as she reached the edge of the Farplane Abyss, she heard a voice call out her name, heard the voice which called out to her heart.

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"… Yuna."

She turned, her hair twirling to one side, tears merging with the meadow. She saw him, saw his face as their eyes locked gaze, saw his pain and also his joy. He began to slowly walk towards her, his entire body outlined by a soft shimmering aura of yellow light. As she instinctively lowered her gaze, he brought his hand up to touch her face.

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"Yuna…" He repeated, watching as she slowly looked up. _"We need you. It's here, and I don't know if we alone can stop it. Please … come back to me…"_

"T-Tidus!" 

Eyes filled with reformed tears, Yuna called out his name as he began to disappear before her very eyes, the pyre-flies fading into the eternal abyss… 

… "Tidus!"

Her scream pierced through the dead of night, echoing around the nearby walls of the Celsius' cabin, and through the inner dreams of a sleeping Rikku and Paine. As her eyes slowly adjusted to her surroundings, sweat continued to slid down the length of her forehead, her heart beating rapidly in the confines of her chest. The last remnants of the dream began to fade before her, replaced with the concern glances of her awaken friends.

"Yunnie?" Rikku placed a hand onto her shoulder. "Yunnie, what's wrong?"

Yuna did not respond, her mind still racing. Could it all have been just a dream? Some distorted fragment of her memories? But the feelings … the emotions … it was all too real. All too real.

"You had it again didn't you?" Paine's calm and controlled voice caused Yuna to glance upwards. "The same dream that you have been having for the past few nights?"

She silently nodded. "It is."

"Then this can't just be some coincidence."

Rikku quickly broke the silence which then followed. "Did … did you see him again?" 

"Y-Yes, I saw him. And now I'm almost certain." She turned to face them both. "This can't just a dream that I've been having, it's a message, a warning..."

"But of what?" Inquired Paine.

"… Of what, I do not yet know." Yuna soon fell silent once more.

Before Rikku could interject, Paine spoke up. "Then I think it's best that for now we get back to sleep. Questions can wait till the morning, and the new day may shed some more light on things."

Yuna nodded her head as both Rikku and Paine wished her goodnight before returning to their beds. She lowered her head back onto her pillow, trying to close her eyes, but the images and thoughts would still not cease. Waiting until she could hear the soft sound of their slumber, Yuna rose out from beneath her covers, heading down the spiraling staircase. Wrapping a silk robe around her body, she headed for the elevator.

A wave of fresh air hit her bare skin as the doors opened out onto the airship's deck, refreshing her very core and somewhat soothing her troubled mind. She slowly looked out at the impressive structure of Luca stadium standing there before her, so clear and so close from their place resting at the docks. The gentle roll of a midnight sea softly bobbed the Celsius up and down in time with the waves, a dark blue surface which would turn crystal by daybreak.

As she stood there, letting the wind wash all over her, an overwhelming urge to whistle began to emergence. But she didn't … she stopped herself. He was gone, Tidus was gone, and there was nothing that she could do to ever get him back. She needed to finally let him go, to not hold on to his memory so close to her heart. Maybe the dreams were nothing more than the deep yearnings of her subconscious, maybe it was herself that was keeping him from completely crossing over.

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"Yuna … We need you. It's here, and I don't know if we alone can stop it. Please … come back to me…"

And yet, why was there this deep hesitation when she thought this? Why could she not stop having the same dream night after night? Sighing deeply, Yuna knew that the answers to these questions would not be discovered any time soon. Maybe the others were right - a new day would shed light … on everything. Turning, she headed back into the shelter of the Celsius, back towards the cabin.

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"Please … come back to me…"

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The morning sun filtered through the large viewing window of the Celsius' bridge, bathing all those around in a gentle yet warm light. Brother stretched his tired limbs, yawning loudly, whilst Buddy began the initial preparations for take-off. On the other side of the room, Shinra continued his repairs on the spherewave detection transmitter, whilst Rikku and Paine discussed the day which lay ahead. Everyone's attention was turned upwards as the main bridge doors slid opened to reveal a now awake Yuna.

"Hey! So you're finally up!" Smiled Rikku, running towards her.

"Yes." Yuna smiled back. "I guess I really needed a good night's rest."

"Yuna!" Brother jumped down from behind the steering wheel, stopping several feet in front of her. "I heard you not sleeping well lately." He lowered his gaze to the floor, shifting his feet uncomfortably. "Anything I can do?"

"Don't even think about it!" Rikku immediately cut in.

Paine just shook her head whilst Yuna found herself laughing. Being surrounded by all her close friends could instantly drive all her troubles away. At least … for a little while. As Rikku and Brother continued to bicker amongst themselves, Paine headed over to Shinra.

"So, you've got a destination in mind?" She called back to her. "Until the transmitter is fixed, there really is nothing pressing that we can do."

"Oh don't worry." Came Shinra's distinctive voice. "I'll get it up and running again in no time."

"So, Yuna." Brother started once more, ignoring Rikku. "Where to?"

"Well…" She fell silent for a long moment, lost in deep thought. "How about we pay a visit to Besaid? It's been a while since we were last there, and it'll be good to see both Lulu and Wakka again."

Rikku smiled broadly. "Oh yeah! Wow, I wonder how big Vidina has gotten now?!"

"Ok!" Brother turned to face the viewscreen, thrusting his right arm outwards. "Besaid it is!"

The roar of the engine shook the entire ship as it suddenly came to life, reverberating everything with its resonating hum. The airship slowly pushed off from Luca's dock, speeding through the open sea before finally rising into a clear blue sky. The journey to Besaid was largely an uneventful one. Ever since the destruction of Vegnagun and the sending of Shuyin and Lenne two years before, their lives had been pretty laid back and carefree. The Calm continued throughout the whole of Spira, filling everyone with newfound joy.

Control of Spira was now in the hands of 'the Council' which was led by its three joint leaders - Nooj, Baralai and Gippal. Together they helped issue in this new chapter of peace in Spira's history, bringing the different faiths of Spira as one under a new banner. There would always be arguments, disagreements; but never would they allow anything to escalate like it had done once before.

Parting the overhead clouds, the Celsius soon came into view of the small island that was once Yuna's home, a beautiful place with golden sandy beaches and a village that was as welcoming now as it had ever been. Heading for the docks, it did not take long before the airship finally landed. Yuna soon disembarked with Rikku and Paine, walking along the familiar coastline and reaching the nearby greenness of the forest.

Though there were fewer fiends on the roadside which led to Besaid village, Yuna knew that they were still very prominent, however the appearance of the well-armed group was enough in itself to keep them at bay. As they eared the entrance gate, Rikku suddenly waved up ahead, catching sight of the two figures who were waiting both eagerly and patiently.

"Hey!" Rikku yelled, waving her arms in a wide arc. 

"Lulu, Wakka!" Yuna smiled as they got closer, embracing the two in a tight hug. "It's so good to see you again." 

"Eh, it's good to see you too." Grinned Wakka, taking a moment to look at her. "Geese, you've really grown up now ya? You're not a little girl any more…"

"… No, she's not. She's a blossoming young woman." Finished Lulu.

"Oh guys, stop." Yuna blushed, trying to hide her face. She turned back to see Paine standing to one side. "Oh, you both remember Paine right?"

"Of course." Lulu extended her hand towards her, which Paine accepted. "It's nice to you see again."

"So…" Rikku looked around, her gaze darting from one side to another. "Where's Vidina?"

It was Wakka who answered: "Well, when we saw your ship start to descend we got a friend of ours to look after him for a while." He glimpsed her slightly crestfallen look. "But of course you can see him right now if you want ya?"

"Of course!" Rikku answered, enthusiastically.

Lulu smiled, turning to lead the way into the heart of the village. "Then why don't we head inside?" 

Though it had been some time since she had last stayed there, Besaid would always be her home. Yuna smiled at the familiar faces that she recognised, smirked at the subtle changes that had taken place in the village, and sighed at the remembrance of long forgotten memories. Her wandering gaze finally landed on the ancient temple towards the village's end. 

It still hurt. She still felt the pain of it all. The Aeons had been a part of herself, and when she had to destroy them … it was like she had lost an important fragment of her soul. And above all, it would always be a constant reminder of the loss of Tidus. Yuna knew deep down inside that he would always be with her, that she meant the words she told him in the Farplane Abyss after the battle with Vegnagun and Shuyin, and yet that did not mean she didn't miss him - that she didn't want to hold him just one last time…

"Agh!"

The sudden piercing scream tore Yuna out from her reverie, shattering her immediate thoughts and forcing her to turn towards the center of Besaid. A shocked gasp rang through the surrounding group, as they witnessed panicking villagers quickly rushing to flee the scene. A dozen or so pyre-flies began to appear from thin air, quickly joining together, merging and forming to take monstrous shapes – becoming fiends.

Yuna took a single step backwards, shocked at the sight. She suddenly remembered the old lessons that Wakka and Lulu had taught her when they were once her guardians: that fiends were once living people who had died but still held onto this plane of existence, turning them into those blood lusting creatures. But never before had she ever witnessed their actual emergence like this.

"F-Fiends?!" Shouted Rikku, taken aback. 

Paine motioned to the group of fiends that were still forming, while the others began to take off. "They're heading towards the temple!"

Wakka quickly turned to his side. "Lulu quickly! Get in side while we handle the fiends!"

"No." Said Yuna, her posture regaining some of its confidence. "You are needed here with Lulu and Vidina. We can handle the fiends, right guys?"

"Right!" Paine and Rikku both answered in unison.

Rikku began limbering up. "Gullwings to the rescue!" 

Yuna reached for the two pistols resting silently by her belt, seeing the sunlight reflect off of the polished silver surface. She quickly held them outwards, counting the number and type of fiends, whilst Paine drew her broadsword and Rikku reached for her double knives. Seeing that they were all ready, the three quickly ran forward, heading into battle.

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End of Chapter 1 


	2. Temple Secrets

Chapter II: 'Temple Secrets.'

The air seemed to darken, the screams and cries of the villagers drifting to her hearing, forcing her to react. Yuna quickly ran forward, Rikku and Paine not far behind, their hands tightening around the individual grips of their weapons. Different types of fiends continued to emerge directly ahead of them, their numbers growing, whilst a few broke away to head into the nearby temple. Yuna tried to remain calm, pushing aside all the questions and confusion burning in the forefront her mind, concentrating solely on the fiends. 

As the three of them drew closer, a deafening roar suddenly sounded as the fiends let loose a soul-chilling battle cry. Without another word of warning, they suddenly attacked. Yuna quickly dived to one side, escaping the viscous lunge of a fearsome Coyote, the wolf-like fiend instantly feeling the cold steel of Paine's waiting blade. Rolling back onto her feet, Yuna let off a quick shot in the direction of another, hearing it yelp in pain before it finally keeled over.

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"Yuna? What's going on down there?!" Brother's sudden voice echoed loudly down the communications system, filled with pure concern. _"Shinra's detected a sudden surge in fiend activity! Systems go haywire! Yuna? Yuna?!" _

"Ugh…" Rikku fell backwards, narrowly avoiding the downpour of several Watera spells from a group of Flan Azul's. "Not now, Brother!" Trying to keep her distance, Rikku knew that her knives would have minimum effect on their translucent forms. Combined with the spells that were constantly aimed her way, she simply had no time to try and attempt a dressphere change. "Um, guys! I could do with a bit of help here!"

Yuna looked up from where she fought, taking a moment to glance over at Paine who was preoccupied with several armoured fiends known as Sallets. "Hold on, Rikku! Let's switch!"

Rikku quickly nodded, rushing forward to engage the Coyotes that Yuna was previously fighting and leaving Yuna to take care of the Flans. The following fight was then made much easier because as a Thief, Rikku's speed and agility was easily capable of excelling those of the Coyotes, allowing her to take them out in next to no time. 

Yuna slowly paused as she reached the gel-like fiends, preparing to use a technique, before the sudden sound of spell casting caught her off guard. Before she had a chance to react, Yuna cried out in pain as the Watera spell hit her head on, drowning her in a torrent of streaming water. Thrown off from her feet, Yuna began to cough roughly, forcing the water out from her lungs. As she continued to shake the dizziness out from her head, she witnessed the fiends closing in.

"Yuna!" Paine rose her sword to block the clawed hit of the remaining Sallet, managing to knock it back so that she could rush to her side. "Yuna, are you alright?"

"Ugh … I – I will be…" She coughed, her features completely drenched and her body slightly aching. She then turned her gaze upwards. "Do you think you can distract them for a moment?" 

"Of course. Do you have something in mind?" 

"If you can keep their attention from me for a moment, that'll give me the time I need to sphere change and take them all out at once."

Paine nodded in understanding. "Ok. No problem."

Concentrating hard, Paine lifted up her dark-silver broadsword high into the air, feeling the jolts of electricity begin to dance along the length of the blade - forming the beginnings of her Thunder Blade technique. Quickly running forward, Paine circled the fiends from one side, forcing them to turn and face her which was when she unleashed the elemental attack, destroying a single Flan with the powerful slash.

Yuna took this moment to initiate her sphere change, allowing her gun to slip from her grasp as an aura of pure white light surrounded her form. Her clothing was soon replaced with a stunning dark purple outfit, a large mage's hat adorned her head and a staff with a phoenix insignia finished the look of the dressphere – she became a Black Mage. Taking no moment to pause, she rose her staff as she focused on the Thundaga spell, seeing the sky grow dark with shadow as a blaze of lightning tore the fiends asunder.

The Flan's screams soon died down and the sky gradually brightened once more. Yuna took a step back, breathing deeply to regain her loss of breath. From the corner of her vision she witnessed Rikku and Paine finishing off the last of the fiends, the threat seeming to be over. Closing her eyes, she let the power of the dressphere fade, turning back into a Gunner. Her attention was then turned to the temple.

"Yunie…" Started Rikku, panting heavily after the last of the fiends were taken care of. "You ok? Geese, that was some hit you took back there." As Yuna indicated that she was alright, Rikku turned her gaze to the frightened villagers. "Where did all those fiends suddenly come from anyway?"

"Who knows." Answered Paine. "But some however managed to get through into the temple. In fact, it was almost as if those we fought were only there to delay us…"

"Huh? Fiends – smart?" Rikku shook her head. "No way. They aren't intelligent enough to do something like that."

"Maybe. But they were obviously after something that must be inside. The only way we'll find out for sure is if we go after them. Right Yuna?"

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"It's here, and I don't know if we alone can stop it…"

"… Yuna?"

"Huh?" Yuna suddenly snapped out of her thoughts, turning to face her two friends. 

Rikku took the chance to look Yuna over, thinking that she must still be slightly dazed from the impact of the hit. "Um, are you sure that you're ok?"

Yuna nodded firmly, turning her thoughts to the matter at hand. "I guess the only way we'll know for sure is if we follow them." She turned to glance back at the forms of Lulu and Wakka. "Don't worry. We'll take care of those still inside."

"Alright, but be careful, ya." Wakka warned.

"We will."

As they turned to leave, Lulu called out to them. "Remember, like all the others, the inner sanctums of the temples have been sealed for the last two years. If the fiends have broken through then there's no telling what you might find inside."

Yuna silently nodded. Turning to face the impressive outer vista of Besaid temple, she prepared to brace herself for whatever might be within. It had been so long since she had last stepped into a temple, the very thought sent a cold chill down the base of her spine. Seeing that her friends were right by her side, together they stepped through the large doorway. 

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He slowly moved forward, a dark shadowed form which grew more solid as the pyre-flies fused into a single defined shape, an almost human-like appearance punctuated by the two large wings which protruded out from his back. His sight remained transfixed onto the sacred chamber doors which lay just up ahead, soulless white eyes which seemed to glow with a deep intensity.

Outstretching his right arm, a sudden invisible force pulsed through the air, forcing the doors to open. A thin emotionless smile began to spread across his features, his goal now appearing in sight. Stepping into what was once the Chamber of the Fayth, his eyes scanned the intricate design that was carved onto the ground: the symbol for the Aeon, Valefor. Though the Fayth had now been long gone, their incredible power could still be felt; traces of which remained to this day.

As he attempted to crouch down low to lay his hand onto the design, his attention was suddenly drawn to one side as he sensed the feel and presence of the three human beings who had just entered the temple. For a long moment he did not move, silent telepathic thoughts sent directly into the minds of the fiends who waited within. Leaving them to keep the new arrivals preoccupied, his full attention was brought back to the image of the Fayth. 

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"Yuna? Yuna, you there?" The static of the comms echoed loudly as Yuna, Rikku and Paine stepped into the relative darkness of the temple. Before anyone had a chance to answer, the background sound of arguing could be heard as Brother was quickly cut off and Buddy took over_: "Yuna, it's me. We're getting some sort of massive energy surge from within the center of the temple."_

"An energy surge? What could it be?" 

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"I'm not sure. Whatever it is, its giving off a lot of impressive energy readings which is disrupting all the ship's sensors."

"A sphere?" Suggested Rikku.

There was a brief moment of silence. _"I'm not sure. From what Shinra is telling me, it could well be a powerful spherewave that we're detecting, but then again maybe it's something else. There's no way for him to be certain."_

Rikku shook her head. "Oh great, that was _so_ much help!"

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"Hey … I'm just a kid." Came Shinra's response.

Yuna nodded. "Ok. Once we've investigated we'll keep you…"

"… Yuna!" Called Paine, suddenly.

As she turned to see what had startled Paine, Yuna suddenly gasped, words escaping her. Looking on in silent horror, she slowly took in the forms of the dead villagers lying motionlessly by the foot of the stairs. Bright sunlight from outside cast an eerie glow onto their unmoving bodies, merging with the shadows of candlelight which continued to flicker and burn all around. Rikku rushed over to the nearest body, knowing that the gesture was futile, but still needing to check for signs of life. There was none. 

"W-We're too late." Whispered Yuna.

"Keep it together!" Shouted Paine, immediately raising her sword. "We've got company!"

Yuna and Rikku quickly turned, looking upwards towards the entrance to the Cloister of Trials. A chorus of roars began to echo all around as several fiends emerged from within, blocking their path. Paine took a forceful step forward, taking a moment to decide on the best dressphere to utilise. Whilst Yuna held onto most of the mage type dresspheres – White Mage, Black Mage, Gun Mage and Gunner, and Rikku held onto the specialised dresspheres - Thief, Alchemist, Lady Luck and Trainer; Paine herself carried the warrior type dresspheres. 

Initiating the sphere change, an aura of pulsing white light surrounded her form as she changed from a Warrior … into a Berserker. Within seconds her dark black outfit was replaced with one of faint blue and brown, her hands and feet forming into sharp animal claws, and two tribal markings appearing on the sides of her cheeks. A horned helmet finished the look of the dressphere.

Paine turned to the row of fiends. "Ok. We need to take them out quickly!" 

As Rikku ran forward into battle, Paine closed her eyes, concentrating deeply to call forth a Berserk technique. This technique was a double-edged sword, though it would imbue her with increased speed and strength, a deep yearning blood-lust would come over her, and she would have little to no control. But something told Paine that if they didn't get through to what the fiends were protecting in time, they would be too late to stop whatever it had planned.

Yelling out a battle cry, a berserked Paine rolled forward, jumping upwards to deliver a clawed attack. The fight soon began to heat up. While Paine tore the fiends apart, Rikku took care of any that tried to circle or catch her off guard. With their combined strength they soon took care of all the fiends, filling the air with the soft drone of the pyre-flies. 

"Phew. That's the last of them." Stated Rikku as she wiped the sweat from her forehead.

Paine cracked a smile, reverting back to her Warrior dressphere. "Hmph. We sure made short work of them."

It was only when Paine said 'we' that realisation suddenly dawned. "Yuna!" Turning to their surroundings, Rikku and Paine saw that she was no where in sight. Realising that the only possible answer was that she had gone up ahead alone during the commotion of the fight, the two quickly ran after her, a sharp pang of fear taking hold of their hearts.

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It felt strange. So strange to simply walk through the familiar Cloister of Trials, each step invoking a surge of past emotion. She continued to walk forward, not truly knowing what fuelled her movements, only knowing that a powerful presence was somehow calling out to her. Heading deeper into the inner depths of the temple, she found that the strange hold which gripped her continued to grow in power and strength. In what seemed like a dazed dream, she finally stepped into the Chamber of the Fayth.

Yuna instantly reacted, trying to take a single step back, but found that she suddenly couldn't. Her eyes focused on the dark entity which stood in front of her, its form so majestic and yet so powerful that it could summon the threads of destruction. Aside from the two large arched wings which immediately met her gaze, she saw that his muscular body was outlined with strange light-blue symbols, runic markings whose meaning was lost to the ages.

Without a word it turned back to face the floor, extending its right arm outwards to reveal a strange crystal blue sphere. The air soon filled with the sound of his voice as he invoked an ancient spell that caused the sphere to start to shimmer. As the spell reached its climax, the design of the Fayth suddenly began to pulsate, glowing with presence and power.

Yuna could only watch as an instant flash of light erupted, blinding her for a long moment. When her eyes finally readjusted, she witnessed the entity's form beginning to fade out, the pyre-flies dispersing all around him. Little by little, she gradually felt the use of her limps return.

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"Soon…" It whispered, before finally disappearing from sight. 

"… Yuna!" Rikku and Paine ran forward, their weapons at the ready. They managed to catch a faint glimpse of the last of the pyre-flies disappearing. 

Paine turned to her. "Yuna, you alright? What happened back there?"

A void of silence soon followed, before Yuna simply nodded, her mind still dazed and confused. As Rikku and Paine escorted her back out of the chamber, the image of the entity remained burned in her mind.

End of Chapter II


End file.
